The Goldfish Test

Maya's palms were sweating. Like, actually sweating, enough that her iphone felt slippery against her skin. She'd been running on three hours of sleep and an unhealthy amount of iced coffee, which explained the whole zombie situation happening in the mirror.

"You good?" Chloe asked from the doorway, already in her outfit—a sparkly top that caught every light in Maya's room like it was personally offended by them.

"Yeah," Maya lied. "Just nervous."

"About Tyler's party?" Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Girl, it's just people. And by people, I mean like twenty awkward sophomores trying to look cool."

Maya's stomach did something weird. It wasn't just the party. It was that Tyler would be there. Tyler with the effortless smile and the way he actually listened when people talked, like he wasn't already planning his next sentence.

They got to the party and Maya immediately felt like a goldfish in a bowl—exposed, watched, swimming in circles while everyone waited to see what she'd do next. She made a beeline for the bathroom, where she spent five minutes staring at herself and questioning every life choice that led to this moment.

When she finally came out, Tyler was there. Not even avoiding her—that would've been easier. He was standing by the chips, looking unfairly good in a flannel that was definitely working for him.

"Hey Maya," he said, and her name sounded different when he said it. "You look... really nice tonight."

Her palms started sweating again. She was practically a goldfish at this point, mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out.

"Thanks," she managed. "You too. I mean, not that you look nice—well, you do, but I meant—"

Tyler laughed, and it was this genuine sound that made something in her chest feel warm and terrified at the same time. "You're funny."

"I'm trying not to be," she admitted, and then they were both laughing, and maybe she wasn't a zombie goldfish running on caffeine and anxiety anymore. Maybe she was just a girl at a party, talking to a boy who made her feel like she could actually breathe.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket—Chloe, probably wondering where she'd disappeared to. But Maya didn't check it. For the first time all night, her palms were dry.